Gary Lenaire featuring Luke Easter: Vainglorious Hypocrisy

Just some random thoughts without my jumping to conclusions:  On the one hand, IF this song is about Ted, then yes, it could be construed as a bit childish.  On the other hand, with whatever or whomever the subject matter may be about, everybody needs a "healthy" outlet with which to vent at times.  In this case, Gary is a musician and is blowing off some artistic steam.

I do miss the classic version of TQT with Guy, Gary, Erik, Victor and Ted.  I remember my heart hurting upon learning Gary had become an atheist years ago.  I had sent him a message of encouragement; he was very kind with his reply.

As for Luke (and Gary, too):  Perhaps Luke was simply "reaching out" to an old friend who requested some vocal help with the song.  Maybe Luke regarded the lyrics as vague enough.  Bottom line: I don't know anyone else's thoughts.  I wonder how many of us have asked either of them directly regarding the matter.

In my respective life, several years ago now, I too had become embittered and angry with "the church", though my faith remained intact.  My lifestyle had veered onto a rocky path in search for peace - and there was none - until I owed up to The Lord's whisper speaking to my heart.  He reminded me of that little portion within His "model prayer" for us: "Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us." (Matthew 6:12)  I remembered that I had to forgive others just as I wish for my Father in heaven to forgive me from my sins.  Matthew 7:2 also came to mind as I dealt with my bitterness within: "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."  Thankfully, over time, The Lord healed me from my bitterness and anger toward certain individuals and "the church".

All to say: I believe I can "understand" Gary, provided my personal assessment of this song is correct.  My wish for him is that he finds the peace which transcends all understanding... It's found solely with The Lord.  I have no clue as to the inner turmoil that has happened among the former TQT members... I do wish that all within the band camp would reach out and love one another as Jesus the Christ admonished all of us as His disciples to do.  Great things could happen then.

In leaving the pool and returning to much more shallow waters:  At surface level, I'm glad to see Gary (and Luke) still involved in music.  Gary still has the guitar chops and thrashing vocals, and Luke still has the pipes.

Shalom to all...

I like the sound! Gotta head to work so I haven't studied the lyrics enough.

Really hard to tell what or who it is about but it does seem rather childish. I'm from the outside looking in as I am not a fan of TQT. They're good at what they do and always have been but it just isn't my thing.

This makes me think of Styx and their split with Dennis DeYoung. When they released Cyclorama everyone insisted the lyrics in the songs were about Dennis after they booted him out of the band.

Example # 1:

Look at you you're talking to yourself
Could it maybe be a cry for help
Can't see the forest from your tree there
Sometimes I think you're doing well
Other times you put yourself through hell
It's enough to bring you to your knees dear
I'm gonna open up to you
It's all I'm really trying to do
Say what's on my mind
Yeah what's on my mind, singin'
If you wanna have it your way
Yeah you gotta do things my way
If you really wanna have it your way
All you gotta do is do things my way

They have insisted the songs on the album are not about him at all

Example # 2:

Bourgeois Pig
You got too big
You forgot where you came from
You big pop star
You took it too far
You better get humble and then some

Example # 3:

Here we go again
Hands making circles
That you can't turn back again
Sky turning purple
At the funeral of a friend
Who wasn't ready for the ending yet
He made a giant mess
Sloppy disaster
And he left it for the rest
To clean up after
Now the lawyers do their best
To try to divvy up
What's ever left
In the ending you can bet
Everyone feels cheated
Kiss your ass good-bye

Clearly sounds like it is about a former member doesn't it? There was a lawsuit involved over the use of the Styx name as well but the author of the song (Glen Burtnik) has said this was an old demo he had written before any of this happened.

Example 4: Some fans of Dennis DeYoung thought this one was about him (examples provided by each line)

Brick by brick you built a mansion (Building up a band, Styx, with 4 albums on a small label then releasing 2 more on A&M records before having their breakthru in 1977 with The Grand Illusion).
Piece by piece it seems you're tearing it down (refuse to tour, going solo in the 80's)
Once you walked so tall and handsome (leader of the band and principle song/hit writer)
Now nobody even wants you around (The band going on without him)
Now you're just some kind of
Leftover clown
Now you're like Quasi Modo crying (reference to Dennis's "Hunchback" music he was working on at the time)
As you look in the mirror
At what you've become
Killing the thing that you love
Like Lennon's assassin
Lennon's assassin
Reaching for Venus De Milo
But she's never gonna hold you tight
You plant plutonium silos
Then you blister from the sun that's too bright (Dennis claimed he was sensitive to light and could not tour)
Like a vampire stepping into the light

When all of this speculation came out Glen Burtnik said this was another old demo written around 1995 long before the rift in Styx happened pre-dating any of the drama (including the Hunchback musical) and was originally titled "Lennon's Assassin".

So while many fans of Dennis say the songs on that album are about him Styx themselves have denied it.

As for this new song from Gary, maybe it is about Ted, maybe it isn't I am not familiar enough with the inner workings of TQT to know, I am just an outsider. But if it is about Ted... Eh.. Move on and write something better it isn't like Ted is going to care.

Perhaps I will come off as cold hearted, but am I the only one who really just doesn't care about this?  Move on--nothing to see here.

alldatndensum wrote:Perhaps I will come off as cold hearted, but am I the only one who really just doesn't care about this?  Move on--nothing to see here.

I think the song is terrible all-around and clearly inspired by serious musical jealousy.

Who does this appeal to other than fans of Tourniquet?  Doesn't even hold a candle to that stuff.

My wife was asking what was new on the forums and I mentioned this thread and explained the song.  Her immediate response was, "that sounds like one of Taylor Swift's - or whatever her name is - songs about her ex-boyfriends" hahahaha.  I love my wife.

Personally the song is decent enough, but it is just childish drama

Honestly I never thought stuff like this and the Stryper/Tim Gaines thing would happen with classic Christian bands, I only thought it was a secular thing
But it makes me realize that everyone deals with the same struggles and nobody, just because they are a "Christian Band" is exempt from human mistakes and problems that come along with that

It is really sad that friends over time can become bitter like this towards each other, but I am just praying for everyone involved

The drama is coming from members whose commitment to Christianity has always been dubious.

Are you saying that about me, ToB?

Luke Easter wrote:Are you saying that about me, ToB?

No.

Tim Gaines and Gary Lenaire

Gaines isn’t on this track.

<edit>

And last I checked, his faith wasn’t in question.

I was referring to this:

Honestly I never thought stuff like this and the Stryper/Tim Gaines thing would happen with classic Christian bands, I only thought it was a secular thing
But it makes me realize that everyone deals with the same struggles and nobody, just because they are a "Christian Band" is exempt from human mistakes and problems that come along with that

Despite the lyrics this is still a cool song.  And Luke and Gary have still got it!

Sorry for all who's involved this conversation. This just shows how small the sandpit of christian music really is.

Gary wrote a song about something or someone. Actually and in reality we don´t know a thing about it. It may be about his bad uncle or vile mother. Instead of speculating, write to Gary and ask. He may answer or may not.

This conversation just sounds of useless cheap talk of trying to raise a storm over nothing.

As for the song. It sounds great. Riffs are great and Luke sounds better than for a long time.

Not gonna get involved in the drama here, but musically speaking it’s awesome. This was the direction that I wished TWT would have ventured in when Luke joined during the Vsnishing Lessons era.

Musically speaking, maybe it would be cool to hear Gary record an album with the other ex-Tourniquet members with everyone's input. I really like the sound of Gary's new music and maybe one should go straight to the source if they're worried about these lyrics. Maybe he doesn't want us to know .

Luke Easter wrote:Gaines isn’t on this track.

<edit>

And last I checked, his faith wasn’t in question.

Luke, you should know better, This 2018 and the internet, his faith is always in question. Also, you are under surveillance by the Public Heretical Authority Researching Internet Service of Elected Elites.

Luke Easter -

Since you joined the discussion, can you shed light on what you know, given that you sang on the tune? Do you have any idea what the lyrics are about? Did you ever ask Gary what they were addressing? Or is it that you don't want to say? Or that he told you not to say? Something else?

For those saying "Go to the source," I know someone who messaged Gary on July 25 (3 days ago). He has yet to receive a response, so I fail to see why it would be helpful to barrage Gary with more messages that simply repeat the same question. If he doesn't want to reply, that's his right, but I thought it should be said that some of us have tried to "Go to the source."

jeffcorpse wrote:Musically speaking, maybe it would be cool to hear Gary record an album with the other ex-Tourniquet members with everyone's input.

Would've been cool if they would've made more songs than just those two. There's Gary, Victor and Erik. Imagine if they would've continued and took Guy with them too.

Sir Shred A Lot wrote:For those saying "Go to the source," I know someone who messaged Gary on July 25 (3 days ago). He has yet to receive a response, so I fail to see why it would be helpful to barrage Gary with more messages that simply repeat the same question. If he doesn't want to reply, that's his right, but I thought it should be said that some of us have tried to "Go to the source."

I think he hasn't "officially" released the song yet. Maybe that's why he doesn't want to talk about it yet. On his Facebook pages he's advertized the song being released in 29th of July.
Not sure if he's supposed to release only this song or if there's a whole album worth of material coming.

Actually even in his website he's telling "Vainglorious Hypocrisy" will be released in 7.29.18.
https://www.garylenaire.com/new-music

After a careful reading of the lyrics, I've come to the conclusion this song can only be about Hillary Clinton.

It's a REALLY good song.

all ya'll might be over-analyzing things and so what if it is written about Ted?

big deal. It's Gary's business... and if ANYONE has a right to criticize it's Gary because he co founded TQT or actually might have founded it with Guy when Holy Danger was around and recruited Ted...

It's a killer song. I love it.

HUGE Gary fan. When I was going through my divorce in 2010, he autographed a CD for me and helped me out... Great guy.

You guys are being judgmental... remove the beam from your own eye before you remove the speck from Gary's.

I vote Gary Lenaire for best metal guitarist...